Sunday afternoon on the cul-de-sac: then and now

Early Sunday afternoon--1 p.m. because I didn't get out of bed until noon. Then, bed-making, shower, laundry, scrub the kitchen sink. My machines are in the garage, so when I put the clothes in, I opened the garage door to the glorious day that is March 17, 2013 in San Diego. I don't know what more one could ask of its weather. Unless you didn't like blue skies, sun and a mild breeze. 

I gave thanks to Apple for making a laptop thats battery holds a charge and headed out the driveway--it gets the best sun on a day like this and I am not too proud to sit on my driveway to get my Vitamin D therapy. 

I am alone out here, save one man working in his yard. 

Back in the day . . .

I'll be honest. Back in the day this place was the place to be for the 12 and under crowd--for years on end. 

I ran into a woman at a party last night and she recognized me an hour into the party-her son was in Soo Bakh Do with Danger Boy and after we got to know each other, we started carpooling. She was in her first year of a career change to school psychologist (she and my teacher friend just started working together) and the boys' karate day was a minimum school day, so often I just picked her son up from the after-school care to hang out at our house for the afternoon. Some of the time they hung out at our house after class as well.

My old and once-again friend, Kathleen, said "He loved to be in your neighborhood and when I came to get him, he could be in any one of four houses with ten other kids. I could barely drag him away"

This cul-de-sac had bike and skateboarding ramps, a basketball hoop, everything for street roller-hockey, we had a huge fort in the backyard and the neighbors had a pool and trampoline. Throw in the houses with the endless supplies of otter pops, a 1/4 mile walk to a swim club for the older kids and a 7-11 about an 1/8 of a mile away and it was the picture and ideal of suburbia. 

It was ideal for us parents as well. There was always someone to call on to help you out for anything you might need, from a cup of sugar to a ride to the hospital. 

There are kids in the cul-de-sac now--not quite as many, but close. The kids aren't out like our kids were--for a variety of reasons. The parents are friendly with each other, but not friends as we were and still are with the neighbors that are still here--and not too many people have moved away.

So this Sunday it's just me and someone planting shrubs. 

It's my hope that someday we will watch our grandkids play with the children of my kids' childhood playmates. Wouldn't that be cool?

 

 

Comments

[lanes]

Yes, that would be! My parents have lived in the same neighborhood for almost forty-five years now. When my dad goes out for walks, I always joke with him that he is running for mayor because he stops to talk to everyone. But I think that's awesome. My neighborhood now is full of friendly peeps and that's one of the many things I love about it.

[suburbancorrespondent]

Stop gloating about the weather!

[gary rith]

Oh...wow, so melancholy!
(btw, 9 degrees in Ithaca this morning....oh man I would love SoCal!)

[Green Girl in Wisconsin]

Aw, it sounds like it was a wonderful place! I bet it'll be that way again someday...neighborhoods go through those transitions.

[Jen]

That sounds awesome! I wish my neighborhood was like that. We have very few kids. Kids don't seem to spend as much time outside these days. I won't even get started on that subject, because I'll go off on a tangent!

[Cassi]

I grew up in a neighborhood like that, but it has aged (my parents are still in the same house).

It's snowing here. I could use some sun :-)

[Karen (formerly kcinnova)]

We are having alternating snow flurries, hail, and sunshine. Are you offering free trips to SoCal?

We've moved too often over the years to have the experience of a neighborhood like that, but my SIL in the Seattle area lives in one.

[Aunt Snow]

The parents are friendly with each other, but not friends as we were and still are with the neighbors that are still here--and not too many people have moved away.

I know how you feel about this, because I do too. Except....we are friends with our new neighbors, who now have children in elementary school. And of course there is a whole network of families of kids of that age that we are only barely aware of....like ten years ago we were unaware of the families of the older kids... so, really, I think these neighborhoods continue to nurture kids.

We attended a St. Patricks Day party at neighbors and realized that suddenly we were the oldsters - our kid is 24. Their kids are 7. We don't go to the elementary school anymore to volunteer or carpool or help out. We are in a different orbit. But that doesn't mean that the planets and the sun don't still rotate in the sky.

[Jocelyn]

Oh, yes, to everything: the riches that were, the current lull, the hope of the future. Homes and neighborhoods are beyond fascinating, as was this post.

[Mrs. G.]

I hope so too!

[Busy Bee Suz]

I have a feeling your cul de sac will be bustling with kids again too. How fun will that be?
Do you think a lot of them aren't outside because of technology now?

[Brightside-Susan]

Our little court is similar- the youngsters all play together after school and on the weekends and many of the parents are close. We are one of the 2 older couples on the street but we enjoy the block parties and all the kids. We have moved too many times to enjoy what you will experience, but it is a nice thought!